the last word
Careful Inspection Snakes, lizards and empty cages: Home inspection tips for buyers and sellers By Bob George
114 | March/April 2012
Photo by Chris HollAway
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’ve been inspecting homes for 24 years, and I love what I do, especially when it involves first-time homebuyers. Young engaged couples or newlyweds are great fun because they are so excited about beginning their lives in their first home and all the possibilities. It makes me feel good about helping them do so; it’s a rewarding job. That doesn’t mean the job is without its adventures though. During one job, I had finished the first-floor inspection and was headed to the second story. I had ascended enough so I was at eye level with the floor and noticed a chest of drawers against the hallway wall near the top of the stairs. The bureau was raised off the floor, and I saw a huge boa constrictor hidden underneath the bureau. I stopped, slowly began to back down the stairs and told the homeowners about the snake. “Oh, you found her!” they exclaimed. I decided to inspect the basement while they moved the snake back into a cage. In the basement I found other cages, which were empty with open doors. As I came to a shelving unit, I saw a 2-foot-long lizard flicking its tongue at me. I closed my folder, headed back up the stairs and bid the homeowners a fond farewell as I went out the front door. You never know what you’re going to find! In addition to caging any animals, here are a few tips if you’re planning to have a home inspection done: For sellers: Check the furnace filter and change if needed. If the property is vacant, turn the heat or cooling on and make sure all the lights work. Check for mold in the most likely places — bathrooms, kitchen cabinets, basements — and clean. Check the relief valve on the water heater. Make sure it is not corroded. Make sure smoke detectors have batteries. For buyers: Ask about the age of the roof, the air conditioner, the furnace and the water heater. Ask to see receipts on any recent repairs. Know that you have to have a home insurance policy in place when you close on a house, so the insurance company has final say on the findings. Make sure the inspector explains his or her findings in a way you understand, and if you don’t understand, ask questions. Ask that the safety issues are looked into: the carbon monoxide levels, checking for gas leaks and having the water heater checked. Just remember, a 30-, 40- or 50-year-old home isn’t going to be “like new” just because it’s been inspected. What you’re looking for is the safety factor at the moment you purchase the house. I certainly like to be as thorough as possible to help people when buying a home — just not when a 7-foot-long boa constrictor is roaming around the house. n Bob George is a local real estate inspector.